Dehydrating apparatus



W. STRIGKER.

DEHYDRAT|NG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1921.

Patented'Nov. M, 1922.

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DEHYDRATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27.192].

Patented. Nova M 1922.

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WfSTRICKER. DEHYDRATING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1921.

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@ATENT QWWQEQ WILLIAM srnrcnnn. or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, assrenon, BY ransnn ASSIGNMENTS T0 rnnrnc'rron DEHYDR-ATOB COMPANY, A conronarron or DELAWARE.

Application filed July 27, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM STmoKnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, haye invented certain ject is to provide an apparatus of this char acter with means whereby the products of combustion and the fresh air circulating through the apparatus may be controlled at will, to the endthat the best results may be had with an economical consumption of fuel.

A further object is to provide an appa-,

ratus in which the moisture arising from the fruit and vegetables being dried is quickly exhausted from said apparatus, so that it can not return to and permeate such fruit and vegetables.

; Heretofore, it has been customary to place the produce to be dried in horizontal trays disposed one above the other in such manner as to cause the hot air to pursue a tortuous course. This arrangement is more or less unsatisfactory as the underside of the produce issubjected to a higher temperature than the upper side, thus causing the latter to dry more slowly than the former. The tortuous course of the air also results in more or less moisture being deposited upon the produce, thus materially retarding the evaporating process and increasing the consumption of fuel.

One important feature of my invention resides in arranging the trays in vertical position, thereby exposing all sides of the produce to a uniform temperature and in effect providing a series of fines for the rapid passage of the heated air, so that it will not be retarded and deposit the moisture with which it is laden upon the contents of thetrays.

Other features will hereinafter appear, and in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which DEHYDRATING APPARATUS.

Serial No. 487,?548.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an irregular vertical section taken on line illl of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an irregular vertical section on line III-III of Fig. 2.

F 4: is an enlarged irregular horizontal sect on on line lV-IV of F 1g. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of the upper portion of the apparatus showmg one of the trays arranged in horizontal position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section on line Vlof Fig. 4.

7 is a side elevation of a bar for adustlng the vertically disposed trays to in cli-ned positions,

Referring now in detail to the various parts, 2 designates a vertical container, preferably, of rectangular form and provided at its lower end with legs -1- and at its upper end with a pyramidial top 6 having a centrally disposed exhaust stack 8 provided with a damper 10, for regulating the exhaust of products of combustion and the heated fresh air. The legs t elevate the bottom 12 of the container 2above the floor, so that a lamp or other heater, not shown, may be placed beneath said bottom 12. Access is had to the interior of the con" tainer through a front door 11, provided with a fastening device 9 for securing it in closed position.

The container 2 is provided with partition walls 14 and 16 spaced a slight distance from the two side walls 18 and the two adjacent top walls 6 to form interior lines 22 and 24, respectively, for carrying off the products of combustion. The partition walls 14: and 16 extend from the front to the rear walls 13 and 15, respectively, of the container 2, while the partitions 14: extend below the bottom 12 to prevent the products of combustion from entering the fines before thoroughly heating) the entire bottom 12. Further distribution of the products of combustion is had by providing the bottom 12 with a duct 26 extending a ,to

container and thence to the outer atmosphere. The passage of the products of combustion through the flues 22 is controlled by dampers 30 mounted in the front and rear walls 13 and 15, respectively, and provided at their rear ends with handles 32,

whereby they may be rotated to open or closed position.

34and 36 designate two baflie plates within the lower portion of the container 2, the baflie plate 34 being spaced a short distance above the main bottom 12, while the baffle plate 36 is disposed some little distance above the baffle plate 34, Figs. 2 and 3.

These bafile plates 34 and 36 cover the lower portion of the dehydrator chamber 38' formed by the main bottom 12, the front and rear walls 13 and 15, respectively,and the partition walls 14 and 16. The bathe plates 34 and 36 have alternately d1sposed perforations 40 and 42, respectively, through which fresh hot air is distributed I uniformly throughout the chamber 38 ins lower. portion of the chamber 38'just above, '80

stead of being permitted to follow the partition walls 14 as would likely be the case if such distributing means were not provided.

Fresh air to be heated is admitted to the the bafiie plate 34, through inlet ports 44 1 extending through the front and rear walls the admission of air being controlled by.

13 and 15, respectively, of the container. 2,

slidable dampers 46. ,As'theicool air enters through the ports 44 it is directed toward the center of the chamber 38, in order to be more uniformly distributed by deflectors 48 secured to the front and rear walls 13 and 15, respectively, at points between the battle plates 34 and .36.

A ortion of the heated air passing upward y through the flues22 may be admitted directly to the lower portion of the chamher 38 when desired, throughports 50 in the partitions 14, whichrflatt'er have deflec-- pbrts 50 is controlled by dampers 51 slidably mounted against the partitions 14 and ex- 55 tending forwardly through slots in the front walls 13 of the container 2, so that they can be grasped and operated. The dampers 51 have ports 53 which register with the ports 50 when the dampers 51 are adjusted inwardly.

fiddesignates a plurality of vertically disposed trays arranged within the chamber 38 to whichaccess is had as hereinbefore stated through the door 11, which is hollow as shown by Fig. 3, to retain the heat within rear walls 13 and 64 through which the action of the heated air on the contents of the chamber 38 may be observed. The door 11 is also rovided with instruments 66 and 68 to indicate the temperature and humidity, respectively, within the chamber 38.

Each tray consists, preferably, of a rectangular frame 70, and wire mesh 72 to permit the heated air to come directlyinto contact with the produce held between said trays 60, which are arranged in pairs as;

- the chamber 38. Said door 11 has windows I disclosed by Fig. 2, each pair being held to gether by clips 74 slipped over the tops and bottoms of the frames 70. The pairs of trays 60 are rockingly mounted at their lower sides upon flanges 76 fixed to the frontfand rear walls 13 and 15, respectively.

The pairs of trays 60 are held in spaced relation to each other by bars 7 8 projecting through slots in one of the partition walls 14 and the adjacent side wall 18 of the container 2, so that they may be operated without opening the door 11 and cooling off the chamber 38. The bars 78 have notches 79 for engaging over the tops and bottoms of each pair of trays 60 and each has three notches 80 adapted to engage over the lower edge of the associate slot 82 in the wall 18.

When the central notches 80 are hooked over the lower edges of the slots 82.it indicates that the trays 60 are in vertical position. When it is desired to incline the trays 60 either to the right or left as indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 2, the to bar 78 isadjusted inwardly or outwar 1y as the case.

maybe, and if further inclination ofthe trays. is desired the lower bar 78 is adjusted, 1

in a reverse direction to its companion. 'Bys thus being able to incline the trays 60 toone side or the other better control of the ascending currents of heated air is had as it may be caused to impinge with greater intensity against one sideofthe produce than the other-and insure thorough drying of said produce. The inner portion of the -lower bar 78 is supported in engagement with the bottom of the lower trays 60 by a rod 84 extending throughthe portion of the chamber 38 and supported by the front and 15, respectively, of the container 2.

Flow of the heated air through the chamber 38 is accelerated by the partial vacuum created by the exhaust of the products of combustion through the stack 8, which draws the heated air through an openingv 86 in the upper portion of said chamber 38. In order to prevent all of the hot air circulating upwardly through the chamber 38 from being drawn to the center thereof through the opening 86, perforations 88 are provided in the partition walls 16 to draw a portion of the heated air therefrom. v After the produce has been satisfactorily mamas ;ber 38. From the foregoing description it will be understood that have provided an efficient dehydrating apparatus embodying the advantages above pointed out, and while I have shown and described the perferred form. of the invention, I reserve the right to make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. I Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is: v 1. In an apparatus of the character described, a vertically disposed container,

. means for gaining access thereto, a hot air duct projecting into said container from its bottom portion, and branch ducts in the lower portion of the container leading from said hot air duct to the outer atmosphere 2. In an apparatus of the character described, a vertically disposed container, and

two perforated superimposed false bottoms in the lower portion of said container spaced above its main bottom.

In an apparatus of the character described, a vertically disposed container,

means for gaining access thereto, a hot air ct pro ecting into said container from its bottom portion, branch ducts in the lower portion of the container communicating with said hot air duct and the outer atmosphere, and trays arranged in'the container above said ducts. r

4-. In an anparatus of the character described, a vertically disposed container, means for gaining access thereto, a hot air duct projecting into said container from its .bottom portion, branch ducts in the lower portion of the container communicating with said hot air duct and the outer atmosphere, trays arranged in the container above the lower portion of said container spaced above its main bottom, trays arranged in the container above said false bottoms, and controllable means for exhausting heated air from the top of the container.

cess thereto, a hot air duct projecting into said container from its bottom portion, branch ducts in the lower portion of the container communicating with said hot air duct and the outer atmosphere, controllable means 'for admitting fresh air to the container and adjacent to said ducts, deflectors above said controllable means and arranged ,within the container, and an exhaust stack at the upper portion of the container.

In an apparatus of the character described, a container, two perforated superimposed false bottoms in the lower portion of said container spaced. above its main bottom, and deflectors interposed between said false bottoms.

9. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a container, hot air fines communicating at their lower ends with the outer atmosphere and discharging into the upper portion of said container to create a suction therethrough, and exhaust means coacting with said fines in'creating a suction in the container.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, hot air fines communicating with the lower portion of the container and.discharging into the upper portion of said container to create a suction therethrough, dampers in the upper portions of said-fines to regulate the flow of heated air therefrom into the lower portion of the container, and exhaust means coacting with said flues in creating a suction in the conduct communicating at its lower end with the outer atmosphere and discharging into the upper portion of said container to create a suction therein, controllable exhaust means at the upper portion of the container to coact with the fines in creating a suction in the container, and trays arranged within said container for holding productsto be dried.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a container, hot air flues communicating with the lower ortion of the container anddischarging 1nto the upper portion .of said container to create a suction therethroug'h, dampers in the upper portions of said fines to regulate the flow of heated air-therefrom into the lower portion of the container, deflectors disposed innnerliatcl above. the points of cunnnunit-atiun ln twgen the fines and the lower portiun of the 001i tainer, and exhaust means coacting'witli said fines in creating a suction in the container.

13. In an apparatus of the charavter desci'ilwtl. avontainer, a (1001' thereto, vertically dosposml trays spaced apart within said container. and means for tipping said trays to an oblique position.

14. In an apparatus of the character clescribed, a container, means for gaining acvertically dis and manually from the ex- :nhustmg the nvss to said container, ways pus-ml within the container, npei'alilv means controllable torior 'ul the container for trays to an oblique angle.

In testimony whereof T aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIA'M STRICKER.

lVitnesses i L. J. FISCHER? v .7 1

F. C. Flscnnn. 

